ETS-VII: Achievements, Troubles and Future

Abstract

ETS-VII (Engineering Test Satellite No.7) was launched on Nov.1997 to conduct automated rendezvous docking and space robot technology experiments. A 6dof robot arm which is mounted on the ETS-VII chaser satellite were tele-operated from ground and were used to in various experiments such as ORU exchange, equipment handling and satellite capture. These results came by overcoming various troubles in orbit.